MICK McCarthy savoured the biggest win of his Molineux reign after Wolves stormed to the top of the Championship with a gold and black goal-rush.

MICK McCarthy savoured the biggest win of his Molineux reign after Wolves stormed to the top of the Championship with a gold and black goal-rush.

A brilliant brace from Michael Kightly, and one from David Jones, Chris Iwelumo and Wes Morgan’s own goal completed a five-star performance.

Wolves, who have taken 10 points from four games and scored 13 goals, devastating Colin Calderwood’s men before the break.

And even Kevin Foley nodding into his own net couldn’t stop the celebrations as they leapfrogged Birmingham to go top on goal difference.

“It was as good a performance as I’ve seen from a team of mine or anybody for 45 minutes for a long time,” said McCarthy. “Bearing in mind we started bottom because of alphabetical order it’s took a while to get us to the top.

“Of course I’m pleased, but we’ve got 42 games to play and it just means I can go and have a beer and not be growling an anybody, although I probably still will!”

With centre-half Jody Craddock and left back George Elokobi sustaining severe injuries in the first weeks of the season the Wolves are anxiously waiting for rearguard reinforcements.

But, while the backline still needs bolstering, with exciting talents like Kightly, Iwelumo, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Matt Jarvis attack is their best form of defence.

Kightly toyed with his marker Luke Chambers so much that the fouling full-back the had to be taken off by his manager before he was sent off.

But even though Chambers escaped with a caution he couldn’t prevent the Grays flyer from chopping down faltering Forest.

Kightly’s part in the opening goal was minimal as he started the move from which Ebanks-Blake’s deflected pass was laid off first time by Iwelumo for Jones to open his gold and black account in style.

The former Manchester United youngster ruthlessly wrapped his left foot around the ball and curl it beyond the despairing dive of Paul Smith into the bottom left corner of the net.

There was more than an element of good fortune about the second goal just before the half hour mark when Smith punched a deadly free-kick from Jones onto the head of his own defender Morgan and into the net.

But there was nothing lucky about the strike that made it 3-0 - and there was no doubt that Kightly deserved it.

The England under-21 star had already been denied a penalty when he was shoved out of the way by Julian Bennett on the edge of the area.

Kightly then picked himself up to smash an explosive strike with the outside of his right boot against the crossbar from 25 yards. But not even the bar could stop him when his 43rd minute screamer went in off the woodwork after neat play by Iwelumo and Ebanks-Blake.

Molineux has the luxury of another wing wonder on its opposite flank nowadays too and Jarvis is his twin terror down the left.

Thespeed demon escaped to pick out Iwelumo for a simple close range finish into the roof of the net to make it four on the stroke of half time.

Unsurprisingly Wolves eased off after the break and it was Forest who scored next on 54 minutes with a carbon copy of the Molineux men’s freak second goal.

Wayne Hennessey made a mess of coming to collect Lee Martin’s left-wing corner and Neill Collins’ headed clearance deflected in off Foley’s face to give the Championship newcomers a consolation. But after giving the South Bank four first-half goals to cheer, Wolves owed it to the North Bank to stick one in at that end and another Kightly classic didn’t disappoint.

‘Kites’ was given time and space to float in from the right and pick his spot with a stunning strike into the top left hand corner to complete the rout just before the hour.

It was Wolves’ largest goals return since they put six past Gillingham in 2002-3.

Ebanks-Blake and sub Dave Edwards had efforts ruled out either side of the interval and Smith pulled off several saves including a wonder stop from Iwelumo.

Kightly could have had a hat-trick but curled wide while Iwelumo nodded a good first-half chance over and fluffed a shot early in the second period.

Considering the concerns about the Wolves defence, besides the goal they were rarely troubled, and winger Stephen Ward did well as a makeshift left-back.

Hennessey made two routine saves from Nathan Tyson and also clutched a late shot from substitute Garath McCleary.